Manuscript Data AM 344 fol.

Comments #maintext #pericope #prayer #inscription
Introduction AM 344 fol. is a large manuscript from the late fourteenth century. It contains secular and ecclesiastical law together with a couple of additions – and a gospel pericope with prayer up front. AM 344 fol. measures 28 x 20 cm, which is a bit smaller than A4 size. It is only 79 leaves thick. Although the last page is only fragmental, it seems that this was the ultimate page. The manuscript originally had a woodboard binding with a leather spine, which both are preserved after restauration. The manuscript has been dated to the late fourteenth century, and it was written in Iceland. The text is set in two columns with wide margins on the outside and the bottom. There are red rubrics throughout and coloured initials with contrasting ornament to mark new sections or chapters. The book has clearly been produced with accessibility and legibility in mind. While looking nice and neat, one would not perceive of this manuscript as a representational exemplar. Árni Magnússon obtained AM 344 fol. in 1686. Today, it is kept at the Stofnun Árna Magnússonar á Íslandi. You can browse the digitisation here. The manuscript contains a copy of the secular law codex Jónsbók (2r–58r), additions and emendations to Jónsbók (58r–63v), the ecclesiastical law of Bishop Árni (63r–74v), and ecclesiastical decrees until the middle of the fourteenth century (74v–79r). Around ca. 1400, a gospel pericope and a prayer were added on the originally empty fol. 1r. While all other texts are in Old Norse, these additions are in Latin. On fol. 1v, there is an large illumination showing the crucified Christ accompanied by the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist. Inscriptions reveal who is depicted. The Latin parts are fairly standard. There are no errors to the text or obvious misspellings. It must be noted, however, that both texts are fairly easy regarding their grammar and lexis, and one would expect especially the gospel text to be correct. What I find striking is the high number of abbreviations, which is significantly different from what we find in liturgical books. The gospel pericope is the beginning of the Gospel of John, John 1:1–14. It stresses the importance of the word that comes from God and is God through Christ. Placed in the beginning of a codex of law, it stresses the importance of the words to follow as given by God. The law text represents the rules for the good life on earth mentioned in the prayer, which is a common closing prayer for Mass according to some uses. The prayer calls upon God, the ruler of our life, for guidance through life in this world. At the same time, it shows the ultimate goal of abiding by the rules: eternal life.
Shelfmark AM 344 fol.
Provenance Iceland
Summary Lögbók
Type law
Repository SÁM
Link See entry on Handrit.org
Link See photos at digital collections

Related Latin Data

>1ra
Chronology same
Interrelation integral
Location main
Same Hand As Norse yes
Category pericope
Codicological Function main text/paratext
Contents John 1:1–14
Comments
Comments

>1v
Chronology same
Interrelation paratext
Location main
Same Hand As Norse yes
Category inscription
Codicological Function Inscription
Contents Sanctus Andreas apostolus
Comments
Comments

>1ra
Chronology same
Interrelation paratext
Location main
Same Hand As Norse yes
Category prayer
Codicological Function Preface
Contents pater noster
Comments
Comments
AM 344 fol.

AM 344 fol.


1r ———————————————————————

· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
1 um erat uerbu̅ ·& uer
  apuꝺ ðm ðs erat
 bu̅ ·hoc erat inprincipio
4 o̅ia ꝑipſum facta s̅
  factu̅ eſt nichil ·Qð
 factu̅ eſt in ipſo uita erat · ui
7 lux hominu̅ ·̅ lux i̅ te
  lucet tenebre eam n̅
 co̅henꝺeru̅t ·Fuit ħo miſ
10ſus a ðo cui nom̅ erat ioħes
  uenit in teſtimoniu̅ ut teſ
 timoniu̅ ꝑhiberet ꝺelumine
13ut o̅nis creꝺ͛ent ꝑillu̅ .Non e
13 lux ſeꝺ ut teſtimoni
  ꝺelumine ·Erat
  uera q̅ illuminat omne̅
16hominem ueniente̅ in hunc
 munꝺum Jn munꝺo erat m
 unꝺ᷒ ꝑipſu̅ fact᷒ eſt munꝺ᷒
19 cognouit ·Jn ꝓpria uen̅
  receperu̅t ·Quot
  receperu̅t eu̅ ꝺeꝺit
22 poteſtate̅ filioſ ði fieri ·hiſ
  in no̅ie ei᷒ ·Qͥ non
  b᷒ neq: ex uolun
25 ex uolupta
  ti s̅ ·& u͛
  a u̅ eſt · habita
28 & uiꝺim᷒ głam
  głam quaſi unigeniti
 ap̅re ·Plenu̅ gr̅e uerita
31tis
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·
1Protectoꝛ inte ſꝑanciu̅
 ðs ſine quo nichil eſt
 ualiꝺu̅ nichil ſanu̅
4multiplica ſuꝑ noſ gr̅am tu
 am ut te rectoꝛe tu ꝺuce
 ſic tranſeamuſ ꝑbona te̅
7poꝛalia ut n̅ amittamuſ e
 terna ·ꝑ xp̅m ·ꝺ·

1v ———————————————————————
Ih̅c nazaren᷒ rex iuꝺeoꝝ aria m̅r ih̅u Johaneſ Ap̅ls ewangeliſta ih̅c nazarenus rex iuꝺeoꝛ
AM 344 fol.

AM 344 fol.
|| 1r || | col. 1ra |
⟨Biblical Pericope⟩
⟨In⟩ ⟨principi⟩um erat verbum ·et uer⟨bum⟩ ⟨erat⟩ apuꝺ ꝺeum et ꝺeus erat ⟨uer⟩bum ·hoc erat inprincipio ⟨apud⟩ ⟨deum⟩ omnia peripſum facta sunt ⟨et⟩ ⟨sine⟩ ⟨ipso⟩ factum eſt nichil ·Quoꝺ factum eſt in ipſo uita erat ·et ui⟨ta⟩ ⟨erat⟩ lux hominum ·et lux in te⟨nebris⟩ lucet et tenebre eam non com⟨pre⟩henꝺerunt ·Fuit homo miſſus a ꝺeo cui nomen erat iohannes hic uenit in teſtimonium ut teſtimonium perhiberet ꝺelumine ut omnes creꝺerent perillum .Non e⟨rat⟩ ⟨ille⟩ lux ſeꝺ ut teſtimoni⟨um⟩ ⟨perhiberet⟩ ꝺelumine ·Erat ⟨lux⟩ uera quae illuminat omnem hominem uenientem in hunc munꝺum Jn munꝺo erat et munꝺus peripſum factus eſt et munꝺus ⟨eum⟩ ⟨non⟩ cognouit ·Jn propria uenit ⟨et⟩ ⟨ſui⟩ ⟨eum⟩ ⟨non⟩ receperunt ·Quot⟨quot⟩ ⟨autem⟩ receperunt eum ꝺeꝺit ⟨eiſ⟩ poteſtatem filioſ ꝺei fieri ·hiſ ⟨qui⟩ ⟨creꝺunt⟩ in nomine eius ·Qui non ⟨ex⟩ ⟨ſanguini⟩bus neque ex uolun⟨tate⟩ ⟨carniſ⟩ ⟨neque⟩ ex uolupta⟨te⟩ ⟨uiri⟩ ⟨ſeꝺ⟩ ⟨ex⟩ ⟨ꝺeo⟩ ⟨na⟩ti sunt ·et uer⟨bum⟩ ⟨c⟩a⟨ro⟩ ⟨fact⟩um eſt ·et habitauit ⟨in⟩ ⟨nobiſ⟩ et uiꝺimus gloriam ⟨eius⟩ gloriam quaſi unigeniti apatre ·Plenum gracie et ueritatis
| col. 1rb |
⟨Prayer⟩
Protectoꝛ inte ſperancium ꝺeus ſine quo nichil eſt ualiꝺum nichil ſanum multiplica ſuper noſ graciam tuam ut te rectoꝛe te ꝺuce ſic tranſeamuſ perbona tempoꝛalia ut non amittamuſ eterna ·per christum ꝺominum
|| 1v ||
⟨Inscriptions in drawing of crucified Jesus⟩
Ihesus nazarenus rex iuꝺeoꝛum aria mater ihesu Johaneſ Apostolus et ewangeliſta ihesus nazarenus rex iuꝺeorum
AM 344 fol.

AM 344 fol.
⟨Biblical Pericope⟩
In principio erat uerbum ,et uerbum erat apud deum et deus erat uerbum .Hoc erat in principio apud deum omnia per ipsum facta sunt et sine ipso factum est nihil .Quod factum est in ipso uita erat ,et uita erat lux hominum ,et lux in tenebris lucet et tenebrae eam non comprehenderunt .Fuit homo missus a deo cui nomen erat iohannes .Hic uenit in testimonium ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine ut omnes crederent per illum .Non erat ille lux sed ut testimonium perhiberet de lumine .Erat lux uera quae illuminat omnem hominem uenientem in hunc mundum In mundo erat et mundus per ipsum factus est et mundus eum non cognouit .In propria uenit et sui eum non receperunt .Quotquot autem receperunt eum dedit eis potestatem filios dei fieri his qui credunt in nomine eius ,qui non ex sanguini neque ex uoluntate carnis neque ex uoluptate uiri sed ex deo nati sunt .Et uerbum caro factus est ,et habitauit in nobis et uidimus gloriam eius gloriam quasi unigeniti a patre ,plenum gratiae et ueritatis
⟨Prayer⟩
Protector in te sperantium deus sine quo nihil est ualidum nihil sanctum multiplica super nos gratiam tuam ut te rectore te duce sic transeamus per bona temporalia ut non amittamus aeterna ·per Christum dominum
⟨Inscriptions in drawing of crucified Jesus⟩
Ihesus nazarenus rex Iudeorum Maria mater Ihesu Iohannes apostolus et euangelista Ihesus nazarenus rex iudeorum